Mini League Constitution

TAUNTON MINI LEAGUE 2018/2019

Under 7 to Under 10 rules.

Qualification of Players.

Please note we have condensed these rules and have left in the relevant rules which appertain to the Mini League and the formats that are played within the League, all other rules are contained within the Youth League rules.

8) (A) Contract players registered with a Centre of Excellence may only play in this League subject to the regulations of the Programme of Excellence. (Youth League rules)

(B) A registered youth playing member of a Club is one who, being in all other respects eligible has:-

i) Signed a fully and correctly completed League Registration form in ink, countersigned by his/her parent or guardian and by an Officer of the Club, and who has been registered with the Registrations Secretary 7 days prior to playing. The Clubs Player registration documentation must incorporate any known serious medical conditions of the player and emergency contact details of the player’s parents or

ii) guardians (this is a Club responsibility). These details must be available at matches and training events the player attends within the Management of the Club or League.

(ii) Signed a fully and correctly completed League Registration form in ink on a match day prior to playing, countersigned by an Officer of the Club and witnessed by an Officer of the opposing Club, and players details submitted to the Registration Secretary within two days (Sundays excluded) subsequent to the match. A maximum of 4 players may be registered in this way. The registration document must incorporate any known serious medical conditions of the player and emergency contact details of the player’s parents or guardians. These details must be available at matches and training events the player attends within the management of the Club or League.

Managers will have one single registration sheet where each players details will be added, this then needs to be signed by an Officer of the Club and sent to the League Secretary by 14 th August. Failure to do so will result in a £5.00 fine.

If a player’s age is required for registration purposes a League must accept an original birth certificate or a photocopy. In cases where the birth certificate is not available, a League is required to accept a photocopy of the player’s passport or other official document issued by a Government Agency attesting to the player’s date of birth.

The qualification dates for the League shall be as follows:-

Children who have attained the age of 6 but are under the age of 7 as at midnight on the 31 st August in season 2015/16 may be permitted to play in a match between sides with a maximum of five players and shall play according to the correct Laws of the Game for that format.

Children who have attained the age of 7 as at midnight on the 31 st August in season 2014/15 may be permitted to play in a match between sides of a maximum of five players and shall play according to the correct Laws of the Game for that format.

Children who have attained the age of 8 as at midnight on the 31 st August in season 2014/15 may be permitted to play in a match between sides of a maximum of seven players and shall play according to the correct Laws of the Game for that format.

Children who have attained the age of 9 as at midnight on the 31 st August in season 2014/15 may be permitted to play in a match between sides of a maximum of seven players and shall play according to the correct Laws of the Game for that format.

In the season 2014/15 children shall not play, and shall not be permitted or encourages to play, in a match between sides of more than the following number of players, according to their age group:-

The above qualification dates are subject to the provision contained in the FA Rule C4 (a) in its entirety.

(D) A player having taken part in matches for any Club affiliated to any County Football Association shall not be allowed to join, be transferred to, or sign for a Club in the Competition without first proving to the officials of the intended Club that the player has discharged all reasonable financial liabilities to the previous Club or Clubs, and a Club official may not accept such player’s signature without first ascertaining whether such claims have been discharged to the satisfaction of the Club, or Clubs, for which the player last played

(E) A fee of £5.00 shall be paid for each player registered.

Registration forms shall be obtained from the League Web Site.

(F) The League Committee shall decide all registration disputes.

In the event of a player signing a registration form or having a registration submitted for more than one Club priority of registration shall decide for which Club the player shall be registered. The Registrations Secretary shall notify the Club last applying to register the player of the fact of the previous registration.

(G) It shall be deemed misconduct for a player to:-

i) Play for more than one Club in the League in the same season without first being transferred.

ii) Having signed for one Club in the League, sign for another Club in the League in that season, except for the purpose of a transfer.

iii) Submit a signed registration form for registration that the player had wilfully neglected to accurately or fully complete.

(H)(i) The League Committee shall have the power to accept the registration of any player subject to the provisions of clauses (ii) and (iii) below.

ii) The League Committee shall have power to refuse, cancel or suspend the registration of any player who has been charged and found guilty of registration irregularities. (Subject to Rule 16).

The League Committee shall have power to make application to refuse or cancel the registration of any player charged and found guilty of undesirable conduct (subject to Rule 16) subject to the right of appeal to the FA or the relevant County Football Association.

Undesirable conduct shall mean an incident of repeated proven misconduct, which may deter a participant from being involved in this Competition. Application should be made to the parent County of the Club the player is registered or intending to be registered with.

(iv) For a player who has previously had a registration removed in accordance with clause (iii) but has a registration accepted at the expiry of exclusion will be considered to be under a probationary period of 12 months. Whilst under a probationary period, should the player commit a further act of proven misconduct under the jurisdiction of the League, (excluding standard dismissals), the League would be empowered to consider a further charge of bringing the League into disrepute.

(Note: Action under Clause (iii) shall not be taken against a player for misconduct until the matter has been dealt with by the appropriate Association, and then only in cases of the player bringing the League into disrepute and will in any case be subject to an Appeal to the Football Association.

(I) Subject to FA Rule C2(a) dealing with players without a written contract when a player desires a transfer, the Club the player wishes to transfer to shall submit a transfer form to the Registrations Secretary accompanied by a fee of £5.00. Such transfer shall be referred by the Registrations Secretary to the Club for which the player is registered. Should this Club object to the transfer it should state its objections in writing to the Registrations Secretary and to the player concerned within seven days of receipt of the transfer form. Upon receipt of the Club’s consent, or upon its failure to give written objection within seven days, the Registrations Secretary may, on behalf of the League Committee, transfer the player who shall be deemed eligible to play for the new Club from such date or seven days after receipt of such transfer.

In the event of an objection to a transfer the matter shall be referred to the Executive Committee for a decision.

(J) A player may not be registered for a Club nor transferred to another Club in the League after 1 st March except by special permission of the Management Committee.

(K) A Club shall keep a list of the players it registers and a record of the games in which they have played, and shall produce such records upon demand by the Management Committee.

In the event of a Club having more than one team in an age group, each team must be clearly identified but not designated “A” or “B” or 1st or 2nd in such cases players will be registered with the club at a specific age group not a single team. However for tournaments, each player may only participate for one team in the club throughout the season. Clubs will be required to submit team sheets to the league age group secretary for all tournament games. No transfers will be sanctioned.

(L) A register containing the names of all players registered for each Club, shall be kept by the Registrations Secretary and shall be open to the inspection of any duly appointed Member Club representative at all Management Committee meetings or at other times mutually arranged. Registrations are valid for one Season only.

(O)

(i) Any team playing an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player will be fined and/or otherwise dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee.

9 – CLUB COLOURS, CLUB NAME

(A) Every Club must register the colour of its shirts and shorts with the Secretary by 31 st July each year who shall decide as to their suitability.

Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from other players and the referee.

No player, including the goalkeeper, shall be permitted to wear black or very dark shirts.

Any team not being able to play in its normal colours as registered with the League shall notify the colours in which they will play to its opponents at least four days before the match. (The wearing of coloured bibs is allowed)

If, in the opinion of the referee, two Clubs have the same or similar colours, the home team shall make the change. Any team not having a change of colours or delaying the kick-off by not having a change shall be fined £5.00.

The Secretary of the League may request shirts to be submitted if complaints are received as to lack of distinguishing colours, and the Management Committee may refuse to permit any shirts or shorts as they think fit.

(B) Any Club wishing to change its name and/or colours must obtain permission from its affiliated County Football Association and from the Management Committee.

10 – PLAYING SEASON, CONDITIONS OF PLAY – TIMES OF KICK-OFF, POSTPONEMENTS, SUBSTITUTES

(A) The Annual General Meeting shall determine the date for the commencement of the season in accordance with Football Association Rules. Original fixtures arranged by the Fixtures Secretary, or at a meeting specially convened for that purpose, to be held no later than 3oth June, must not be arranged for a date later than seven days preceding the concluding date.

Fixtures are deemed to be accepted unless objections are received by the Fixtures Secretary within fourteen days of their issue.

Any Club failing to be represented at a fixture meeting or otherwise infringing this Rule shall be liable for a fine of £25.00 and the League Committee or the Fixtures Secretary shall arrange that Club’s fixtures. Any fixture that is postponed apart from the weather or school activities will be fined £25.00. Any postponed fixture must be played within a two week period from the original fixture. The Fixtures Secretary will re-arrange postponed fixtures.

(B) All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game for Mini-Soccer, the Laws as set down by The Football Association. Clubs must take all reasonable precautions to keep their grounds in a playable condition. All matches shall be played on pitches deemed suitable by the League Committee. If through any fault of the home team a match has to be replayed, the League Committee shall have power to order the venue to be changed.

The League Committee shall have power to decide whether a pitch and/or facilities are suitable for matches in the League and to order the Club concerned to play its fixtures on another ground.

Football Turf Pitches (3G Artificial Pitches) are allowed in this Competition providing they meet the required performance standards and are listed on the FA’s Register of Football Turf Pitches.

The home Club is also responsible for advising participants of footwear requirements when confirming match arrangements in accordance with Rule 10(D).

For Mini-Soccer:

All fixtures will be listed on the FA’s Full-Time System

Duration of play shall be two halves of 10 minutes each way (20 minutes total) for U7, U8 and U9’s. The maximum playing time in any one day for under 7, under 8 and under 9 age groups is 40 minutes.

Duration of play shall be two halves of 15 minutes each way (30 minutes total) for U10’s. The maximum playing time in any one day for under 10 age groups is 60 minutes.

The times of kick-off shall be fixed at the AGM. Any Club failing to commence at the appointed time shall be fined a sum not exceeding £10.00 or be otherwise dealt with as the League Committee may determine.

Referees must order matches to commence at the appointed time.

The home team must provide at least two footballs fit for play.

A size 3 ball will be used for age groups U7 to U9

A size 4 ball will be used for the U10 age group

Goal nets must be used.

(C) Except by permission of the League Committee all matches must be played on the dates originally fixed but priority shall be given to The Football Association and all relevant County Association Cup Competitions. All other matches must be considered secondary. Clubs may mutually agree to bring forward a match with the consent of the Age Group Secretary.

In the case of a revised fixture date, the Clubs must be given by the League 5 clear day’s notice of the match (unless otherwise mutually agreed).

(D) The home Club must give full particulars of the location of, and access to, the ground to the opposing Club by the Wednesday prior to the playing of the match.

Any Club failing to comply with this Rule shall be liable to a fine of £5.00.

(E) Cup matches shall be played in accordance with the rules set out by the FA for each age group. All teams who enter the Tony Pryce Sports Mini League shall participate in all Cup Competitions organised throughout the season. Teams pulling out with no valid reason will be fined £50.00.

(F) Any club unable to fulfil a fixture or where a fixture has been postponed for any reason must, without delay, give notice to the Fixtures Secretary and the opposing Club. Any Club failing to comply shall be dealt with by the League Committee who may inflict a fine.

All fixtures (including re-arranged fixtures) must be completed by the 1 st March.

(i) In the event of a match not being played or abandoned owing to causes over which neither Club has control, it shall be played in its entirety on a date to be mutually agreed by the two Clubs and approved by the League Committee. Failing such agreement and notification to the Fixtures Secretary within 7 days the League Committee shall have power to order the match to be played on a named date or on or before a given date.

(G) For Mini-Soccer – any number of substitutions may be used at any time with the permission of the Referee. Entry onto the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play. A player who has been replaced may return to the play as a substitute for another player. A Team must not have a squad greater than double the size of its team in an age group.

For Example:

U7 and U8s can only have a maximum of 10 players registered per team.

U9 and U10s can only have a maximum of 14 players registered per team .

Any number of substitutions may be used at any time with the permission of the Referee. Entry onto the field of play will only be allowed during a stoppage in play, A player who has been replaced may return to the play as a substitute for another player. A team must not have a MatchDay squad greater than double the size of its team in an age group.

(H) The half time interval shall be of 5 minutes duration. The half time interval may only be altered with the consent of the referee.

(I) The League shall require all players and club officials to have signed the FA’s Respect Codes of Conduct as part of the clubs Charter Standard duties and produce these if so requested by the league management committee.

Prior to each match the participating teams and officials shall conduct the ‘Respect’ handshake. Participating teams shall offer ‘three cheers’ at the end of all the arranged matches. Each player must shake hands with the opposition at the end of each game.

The participating clubs taking part in the fixture shall identify a team captain designated with a captain’s armband who has a responsibility to offer support in the management of the on-field discipline of his/her team mates. If the participating players are considered to be too young to take on this role a member of the team coaching staff should provide this support.

Each home club shall make arrangements for the provision of designated areas for spectators. This area can be marked by an additional painted line, the use of cones, a roped off area or use of a spectator barrier. The area for spectators should start two metres from the touchline on both sides of the pitch. Each area should run the full length of the pitch. It is recognised, however, that the alignment of some public pitches does not allow for this arrangement in which case other appropriate arrangements should be made.

11 – REPORTING RESULTS

(A) The Results Secretary must receive within 2 days of the date played, the result of each Competition match for the under 10 age group in the prescribed manner. Failure to do so will incur a fine of £5.00 and/or the Club being dealt with as the League Committee decide.

(B) Both Clubs shall complete a league results form found on the FA’s Full Time system and include the names o fthe players.

(C) All teams are required to register a Respect mark out of 10 for the opposing team on the match report sheet. These marks will be accumulated and will be used to decide the winners of the Respect Trophy. Teams with low marks will be notified by the League Committee and they will be expected to affect an immediate improvement.

The following points to be considered:-

Attitude of the Players, before, during and after the match, towards the opposition and to the acceptance of the Referees decisions.

Attitude of the Club Officials and Supporters before, during and after the match.

Respect Handshake/thanking referee

Respect Line

If the fixed penalty exceeds £20 the Club must be charged as detailed in Rule 5(D).

(D) Leagues are permitted to collect but not to publish results for fixtures they organise for Mini Soccer (U7, U8. U9 and U10s). They may require a Club to confirm that a set fixture has been played. A maximum fine of £5 may be imposed for a breach of this Rule.

12 – DETERMINING CHAMPIONSHIP

For league games in the Tony Pryce Sports Mini League this section is not relevant as results will not be published for U7, U8, U9 U10 and U11 age groups. Scores obtained for the U10 & U11 age group will be put into league tables but the information will for use by the league only.

Rules for cup competitions to be run in the second half of the season will be provided in addition to this Nomenclature and Constitution.

13 – REFEREES

(A) Registered Referees (and Assistant Referees where approved by the FA or County FA) for all matches shall be appointed (where/when possible) in a manner approved by the Management Committee and by the sanctioning Association(s).

(B) In the event of the non-appearance of the appointed Referee the appointed senior Assistant Referee shall take charge and a substitute Assistant Referee appointed by the competing teams. In cases where there are no officially appointed Assistant Referees, or where the competition has been unable to appoint a Referee, the Clubs shall agree upon a Referee. A Referee thus agreed upon shall, for that game, have the full powers, status and authority of a registered Referee.

(D) The appointed Referee shall have power to decide as to the fitness of the ground in all matches and the decision shall be final subject to either in the case of a ground of a Local Authority or the owners of a ground, the Representative of that body is the sole arbiter and whose decision must be accepted unless the ground is declared fit for play.

(E) Referees, where possible will be allocated to U10 matches. Referee Fees shall be split 50/50 by the home and away clubs. Referee fees are a flat fee as follows:

U9 and U10 = £20

Referees may be appointed to U9 matches where possible. Referees will not be appointed to U7 and U8 matches. When a referee is not appointed by the league then an appropriate person shall be identified to referee the game by the home team.

(F) In the event of a match not being played because of circumstances over which the Clubs have no control, the Match Officials, if present, shall be entitled to his/her fee. Where a match is not played owing to one Club being in default, that Club shall be ordered to pay the Officials (if they attend the ground) their full fee.

(G) A Referee not keeping his or her engagement, and failing to give a satisfactory explanation as to their non-appearance, may be reported to the Association with which he or she is registered.

(K) Referees shall be supplied, each season, with a copy of the League Rules free of charge in electronic pdf format.

(L) Referees shall have undertaken a Respect briefing offered by the FA/County FA or the League.

(M) All appointed referees shall be contacted up to 48 hours prior to kick off by the home club, confirming venue and start time. Failure to undertake this will result in a fine of £5 + admin fee.

(N) Referees will be appointed via the FA Full-Time system. Where it has not been possible for a referee to be appointed then the home club will make the necessary arrangements to allocate a referee.

(F) When dealing with a protest or complaint the League Committee shall take into consideration the possession by the protesting or complaining Club of any information which, if properly used, might have avoided the protest or complaint.

16 – BOARD OF APPEAL

Within 14 days of the posting of written notification of any decision of the Management Committee or the Competition, a Club, Official or Player against whom action is taken may appeal against such decision by lodging particulars in duplicate with the Secretary of the Somerset Football Association, including a fee of £25.00, for adjudication of a Board of Appeal. The grounds of appeal shall be in accordance with FA Rules. The Board of Appeal may order the appeal fee to be forfeited and shall decide by whom the costs of the appeal shall be borne. The decision of the Board of Appeal is final and binding on all parties concerned.

No appeal can be lodged against a decision taken at an Annual or Special General Meeting unless this is on the ground of unconstitutional conduct.

(A) At the Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting called for the purpose in accordance with the provisions of Rule 19, Notice of Motion having been duly circulated on the Agenda, the accredited delegates present shall have the power to exclude any Club or Team from further membership which must be supported by (more than) two-thirds (⅔) of those present and voting. Voting on this point shall be conducted by ballot.

(B) At the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 19, the accredited delegates present shall have the power to exclude from further participation in the Competition any Club or team of a Club whose conduct has, in their opinion, been undesirable, which must be supported by (more than) two-thirds (2/3rds) of those present and voting. Voting on this point shall be conducted by ballot. A Club whose conduct is the subject of the vote being taken shall be excluded from voting.

(C) Any official or member of a Club proved guilty of either a breach of Rule, other than field offences, or of inducing or attempting to induce a player or players of another Club in the Competition to join them shall be liable to expulsion or such penalty as a General Meeting or Management Committee may decide, and their Club shall also be liable to expulsion in accordance with the provisions of Clauses (A) and (B) of this Rule.

(D) Any Club or Team failing to complete two thirds of its fixtures in any season shall (unless the conditions are beyond their control, or the accredited delegates present at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting decide otherwise by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast) be debarred from membership the following season.

Taunton & District Youth League

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